Copy-holder



(No Model.)

W. H. & J. 0. THOMAS. COPY HOLDER.

No. 460,406. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

(70701] O Thom.

' UNITED STA Es PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM HENRY THOMAS AND JOHN OLIVER THOMAS, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOIVA.

COPY-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,406, dated September 29, 1891. Application filed April 23, 1891. Serial No. 390,185. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM HENRY THOMAS and JOHN OLIVER THOMAS, citizens of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a copy-holder, and has for its object to facilitate the transcribing of deeds, mortgages, and like instruments into books for future reference.

The improvement consists of a frame, which is adapted to be inserted between the leaves of a book and which is adj ustable therein, a roller journaled at its ends to an overhanging portion of the frame and adapted to have the instrument to be copied rolled thereon, and an index-bar to hold the instrument 011 the roller and indicate the line to be transcribed.

The improvement further consists of the novel features which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a copyholder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the roller, the clamp, and the index-bar, showing the related position of the spring which acts on the index-bar.

The frame comprises two side pieces A A, which are connected together by the crossbars B and 0. Each side piece is composed of the lower portion a, which is preferably thin and wide, the end tapering to a dull point to readily enter between the leaves of the book, and the overhanging portion 0., which is parallel with and extends in the same direction as the lower portion a. The upper portion a is only about half the length of the lower portion, and its free end a curves up and to the rear. The roller D is journaled at its ends in the curved, ends a of the side pieces, and one of its journals is extended and provided with the thumb-wheel F, by means of which the roller D is rotated on its journals. A suitable clamp E is provided to hold the instrument to be copied on the roller. This clamp is set inthe side of the roller D to come flush therewith and extends nearly the full length of the said roller. The staples e, which are driven in the roller over the'rod e of the clamp, hold the latterin place. The spring g, inserted in a recess in the roller, bears upon the end 6 of the clamp with sufficient force to cause the clamp to bind securely on the instrument to be copied. The index-bar H is provided at its ends, midway between its top and bottom edges, with journals or trunnions h, which are thrust through openings in the curved ends a of the side pieces A and curve outward between the said top and bottom edges. The upper edge ofthe indeX-bar is pressed against the side of the roller D by a yielding force which is exerted by the springs I, one near each end of the said indexbar, which are secured to and projected from the cross-bar B, and which have their free ends pressing on the lower inner side of the said index-bar.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The instrument to be transcribed is passed between the roller and the index-bar and is held to the roller by means of the clamp E, and the lower portion of the frame is i11- serted between the leaves of the ,book until the roller D is brought to the required position. Suppose the roller is at or near the top of the new page. Obviously, as the writingon the page approaches the bottom thereof the frame can be thrust in farther between the 8 5 leaves of the book, thence bringing the copy in close relation to the record on the page, thereby facilitating and lessening the work of the copyist or recorder. As the copying progresses the roller is turned to bring new 0 matter to view above the index-box. The instrument being copied is wound on the roller D, the index-bar turning on its trunnions to accommodate itself to the increasing size of the roller. After the instrument has been tran- 5 scribed a smart pull 011 its free end will unwind and detach it from the roller D, when the holder is free to be used again.

. Having thus described my invention, wliatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A copy-holder comprising a frame having an upper and a lower portion, the latter adapted to be inserted between the leaves of a book, and a support for the copy mounted on the upper portion of the said frame, substantially as described.

2. A copy-holder composed of aframe comprising side pieces which are connected together, each side piece having an upper and a lower portion, the latter being the longer and terminating in a dull point, and a copysupport mounted on the upper portion, of the frame, substantially as set forth.

3. The hereinbefore-specified copy-holder, composed of side pieces, each comprising an upper and a lower portion, the lower portion being the longer and tapering to a dull point and the upper portion having its end curved upwardly and rearwardly, the bars connecting the side pieces, the roller provided with a clamp, and a thumb-wheel journaled at its ends in the said curved ends, the index-bar curved outward between its edges and journaled to the said curved ends, and a spring for pressing the upper edges of the index-bar against the roller, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof we affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY THOMAS. JOHN OLIVER THOMAS. Witnesses:

P. J. MCBRIDE, E. S. ALLEN. 

